Burning Embers
by GirlOnFire15
Summary: Katniss is on her way to District 13. Peeta is imprisoned in the Capitol. Katniss is determined to save him. Meanwhile, President Snow is trying to break him for information. And all around them, Panem erupts in flames...
1. Determination

Katniss

"Give it up, sweetheart. You're not risking your life after we've done so much to protect it."

I glare at Haymitch. I've never hated him more than right now. I wish I could attack him, but that's a tad difficult, since Gale is holding me back. His arms, usually a refuge, have turned into a prison.

"I am not leaving Peeta at the mercy of President Snow," I shout, trying to keep my voice from shaking. "You _know_ what they'll do to him!" Haymitch only shrugs, which means he doesn't have an argument. He knows the Capitol as well as I do, maybe better. So he must know that they're going to try their very hardest to find out where I am. And since Peeta and I are supposedly in love (actually, we're supposedly married and I'm pregnant), they think Peeta knows where I am. But he doesn't.

As usual, thoughts of Peeta bring up a tangle of confused emotions. Apprehension. Confusion. And, yes, something else, that I think might be love. I don't know, I've never been in love. But it's hard to think of Peeta when I'm with Gale. My emotions for the two of them cannot coexist together. This means that my time to choose between them is growing nearer.

There's Gale, who's been my best friend for years, who's taken care of my family when I couldn't. But then there's Peeta, warm, solid Peeta, who's given his life many times over to save mine. Guilt. That's something else I feel when I think of him. He's nearly died for me more times than I can count. I really do believe that he loves me. How betrayed he must feel, locked up somewhere where I can't get to him. They picked to save me over him.

Because I am the mockingjay. While I live, the rebellion lives. But for me to live, I have to agree to. I glare at Haymitch, my mouth already forming the words. "If you want to keep me alive, then you'll rescue Peeta."

"Katniss," says Gale warningly. "Don't."

"No!" I shout. "Don't, Gale. If you don't rescue Peeta, I'll find some way to kill myself. I will, you know I will-"

"No you won't," says Haymitch shrewdly. This puts me over the edge.

"Do you think those berries were a joke? I was ready to die. It shouldn't be too hard to find another way! I'll jump out of this ship. I'll starve. I'll stab myself with my knife at dinner. I nearly did it once, I'll do it again!" I scream. And I mean it. I'd rather die than live without Peeta, live with the guilt. Because it's my fault. It's my fault he's in this mess.

It started last year, at the end of the seventy fourth Hunger Games. Peeta and I were acting like we were in love, as per the instructions of Haymitch, our mentor and lifeline. But I didn't know that Peeta truly did love me. And, to our shock, they made an announcement that the rules were now changed. Two tributes could win, if they were from the same district. That rule was changed for us. Peeta and I. The star crossed lovers of District 12. So then I looked for Peeta until I found him, injured and half dead. I brought him back to health, and then we took down the remaining contestants. Then, when we were the only two left, the Gamemakers informed us that they'd lied. Only one could win. So now one of us was charged with killing the other. So I came up with a plan. I had a pouch full of nightlock, a poisonous berry that could kill you in seconds. Peeta and I had barely tossed them into our mouths when the frantic voice of Claudius Templesmith blared over the speakers, announcing the victors of District 12.

All I was thinking was that I wanted to outsmart the Gamemakers. And that I was not going to be responsible for the death of Peeta Mellark, the boy with the bread. But the Capitol was furious with me for making their Hunger Games a joke. President Snow himself came to my home and told me that I was in deep trouble, that he would kill me, and my whole family, not to mention Gale and Peeta.

Then I found out that at least three districts were in full scale rebellion. Because of my stunt with the berries, I was now the face of the uprising. They painted me onto banners and buildings, and President Snow didn't take too kindly to that. He manipulated the rules of the Quarter Quell, the seventy-fifth Hunger Games, so that the tributes would be drawn from "the pool of existing victors." I am the only living female victor of District 12, so I was automatically going back to the arena. Haymitch was chosen as the male victor, but Peeta volunteered to take his place, for the sole reason of getting me out alive, at the cost of his own life. He wasn't aware that I had vowed to keep _him_ alive at the cost of _my_ life.

But on the third day of the Hunger Games, one of the other tributes blew up the force field around the arena. I was picked up by Plutarch Heavensbee, Head Gamemaker and secret rebel. We are in a flying ship, on our way to District 13, which we had previously believed had been destroyed. Peeta was picked up by the Capitol.

And I have no idea where he is now, only that they're trying to break him for information. But he doesn't know anything. And even if he did, I know he wouldn't betray us. But the meat of the matter is that I am not going to live here, in relative comfort and safety, while the Capitol tortures Peeta for information. No. I refuse to do that. Because even though I don't know if I love Peeta, I know I care about him. The boy with the bread is essential to my survival. I will not lose him to President Snow, the sadistic leader of Panem, who smells of blood and roses.

Since that thought leaves me with a sick feeling in my stomach, I have only one choice: to go after Peeta myself. As we get closer to District 13, I begin to form a plan. The moment we land, I'll blackmail the pilot of this ship into taking me back to the Capitol. If he refuses, I'll knock him out and fly the stupid thing myself.

I'll need some help, though. I dismiss Gale as an option. He hates that Peeta is in love with me. Gale probably thinks Peeta is permanently out of the picture. No, I can't ask him.

My mind immediately goes to Finnick Odair, my fellow tribute and survivor. Yes, he's obnoxious and arrogant and about a thousand less flattering adjectives, but he'll understand. He had to leave someone behind, too: his lover, a mad girl named Annie. She won the Games a few years back, and was never the same.

I know he wants to go back for her, but Haymitch and Plutarch Heavensbee won't let him. Even though I cringe at the thought of being alone with Finnick for an extended period of time, he's my best bet. Still, I sit in my room, trying to think of _anyone_ else who would help. I can't think of anyone, though, and soon my thoughts of Peeta drive me down the hall to Finnick's room.

He answers after one knock. His bronze hair is messy, and he looks nearly as bad as he did when they picked him up from the arena. "Ah, Katniss," he says, surveying me with his green eyes.

"I need to talk to you," I say in a businesslike tone. "I have a proposition."

Finnick raises his eyebrows, but he opens the door so I can go in. I step into the small sitting room. He steers me to a chair and sits across from me.

"I'm listening," he says. I take a deep breath, reminding myself that he shouldn't take too much convincing. Even so, Peeta was always the one who was good with words. Not me.

"I want to save Peeta," I blurt out. The corners of Finnick's mouth lift, as though trying not to laugh. This irritates me. Here I am, talking about someone's _life_, and he's got the nerve to laugh! Yelling at him won't help anything, though, so I keep my temper in check.

"You want to save Peeta. And you need my help," he says, examining his reflection in a stray spoon. "Just one question: what makes you think I'll help you?"

I keep my voice cool as I reply. "Because if you help me save Peeta, I'll help you save Annie."

Finnick freezes. _Bam_, I think. That was the cinch, the one thing that would get him to agree. In a way, it's almost cruel to bring up Annie, because he's so clearly miserable about her.

After a long time, he sighs. "Fine. I'll help you. Have you told your male friend about this plan?"

Leave it to Finnick to say something like that. Sometimes I wonder if he knows how conflicted I am over Peeta and Gale. It certainly seems like it, because he brings it up whenever possible.

"No," I say. "He won't come. He'd probably tell Haymitch."

Finnick nods. "Naturally. So, what's the plan?"

I am explaining the plan when someone knocks on the door. He opens the door to find Gale standing in front of it. "Hey, Finnick," says Gale. "I was just looking for… oh, hey there, Catnip. I was just looking for you," Gale informs me.

"Well, you found me," I say, forcing a smile. "What is it?"

"I don't know if I can say…" Gale trails off, looking pointedly at Finnick.

"Oh, go ahead," I say.

"I know you're going after Peeta. No, don't deny it," Gale says as I open my mouth to do just that. "I know you, Katniss. I just wanted to tell you that I'm coming with you."

I exchange a look with Finnick, and he shrugs. "I don't care. It's up to you, Catnip."

"I thought you hate Peeta," I say to Gale.

"I don't hate him. That's the problem. But it doesn't matter. I'm coming. Someone has to look after you."

"You know I'm coming as well, right?" asks. Finnick. "It'll be the three of us. We're going after Annie as well as Peeta."

Gale nods.

"We leave tomorrow," I tell him. And I feel much better. We have a plan.

I am going to save Peeta Mellark, the boy with the bread.

**A/N: REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW. Make my day. Be honest, but PLEASE be tactful.**


	2. Blood and Roses

Peeta

Another jolt of electricity shoots through my veins.

"Where is Katniss Everdeen?" demands some guy I don't know for the umpteenth time. I am losing patience with these stupid Capitol people.

"I don't have the foggiest idea," I say through gritted teeth. And I don't. I really, honestly have no idea. The pain comes to a peak, and I keep my jaw clenched. I know that if the slightest sound escapes, I won't be able to stop yelling my head off.

So, to keep my mind off things, I alternate my thoughts between Katniss and twenty different ways to kill President Snow. I hate the whole lot of them. For this, I will have my revenge. They're going to let me off this table sometime, and when they do, I'm going to make them pay. Not for what they're doing to me, as infuriating as that is. No, what makes me so livid I can't even see straight is what they've done to Katniss. Picking her sister in the reaping, causing Katniss to volunteer. Putting Katniss in the Hunger Games- twice! It's beyond cruel. I know Katniss would like everyone to think she's strong and already over the horror of the Games, but I know better.

I know because I've held her when she wakes up screaming from her nightmares. She feels bad about it, too; she thinks I'm losing sleep because of it. But in reality, it helps my own nightmares. Somehow, sleeping beside Katniss pushes the dreams away.

I suddenly notice that the man, the one who pushes that accursed button that sends electricity through my system, is gone. Huh. That's funny. I guess I didn't notice before because there's still pain, and a lot of it, except in my lower back, which has gone completely numb. As frightening as that is, I'm relieved at the same time.

I close my eyes and try to get a few minutes' sleep. Apparently the Capitol people don't sleep. They have a certain fondness for waking me up at all hours of the night for random interrogations. Maybe they think I'll be caught off guard and maybe answer a question or two. As if I could.

But all that does is make me fall asleep, something the interrogators do not appreciate. I've got a few bruises to prove it. I don't see how hitting me is going to prevent me from falling asleep. A few nights ago, one man got so pissed that I was nodding off and he hit me across the head and knocked me out. I don't see how that helped him, but it spared me for a few hours.

The smell of blood and roses permeates the room, and I go rigid. It's a knee-jerk reaction by now; I know that smell. It means another couple of hours of interrogation, but this time by someone far more sadistic than even the most rabid Capitol citizen.

President Snow.

"Hello, Peeta," he says in a friendly tone, as though we're old friends. I try to keep my hate in check. A smart mouth isn't going to get me anywhere. I ignore him. He pats my shoulder, and looks at the screen above the button. He whistles.

"My goodness, Peeta. You're a strong boy," he says, still keeping up with the friendly tone. "Tell me what I want to know, and it will all stop. Just tell me where Katniss Everdeen is, and I'll let you go. I'll give you a nice house here in the Capitol, and you can find a nice girl to settle down with."

There are a lot of things I would like to say to this man, but I'm too tired to do anything but whisper one word.

"Katniss."

"Oh," clucks Snow, "Well, dear Katniss is outlawed. You'll have to pick a new girl. I don't imagine that should be too hard, for a good looking boy like you."

"I don't want anyone else."

"Well, she is a beautiful girl. But after we catch her, she won't be so pretty," he says, examining one of his white gloves. I lunge at him, but I am strapped down, and the restraints hold me back. I want to kill this man who is threatening Katniss.

"You will not touch her," I snarl. "Leave her alone!" I mutter a string of obscenities under my breath. My blood is pumping through my veins, and if I was stronger, I would leap up off this table and rip this fiend limb from limb.

But I'm not stronger. All I can do is glare at him and try not to show the depth of my terror. That's incredibly difficult, because my eyes start to sting with even the though of Katniss dying, or going through what I'm going through. No. I will not allow that.

But to kill her, they'd have to catch her. And from what I've heard eavesdropping, she's got an excellent head start. And she's strong. She won't let herself be captured. If she goes, she'll go down fighting. That's one of the things I love most about her. That, and her ability to love as intensely as a person can. It's what drove her to volunteer to take Prim's place in the Hunger Games. It's what drove her to throw herself in front of Gale, and take that lash across her face.

Even if she doesn't feel the same way, I'm glad she knows my feelings about her. I'd hate to die and leave her still completely clueless. I don't know, maybe if I die, she'll want to avenge my death. The thought terrifies me, but at the same time, it would mean that she cared about me in some way. If it were me, I'd do it for her. The question isn't what I _would_ do for Katniss; it's what I _wouldn't_ do.

Right now, I just want to see her before I die. I want to see her so bad it's like a hollow ache, but at the same time, I desperately want her to be far enough away that they can't get to her.

"Well, isn't that sweet," says Snow. Too late, I realize that I've spoken all my thoughts aloud. "Too bad…I suppose you really are the star crossed lovers of District 12. Isn't it sad that, even after you won the Games, you _still_ won't be together? And with dear Katniss being pregnant, well, that's just a bad piece of luck, don't you think?"

I am shaking with rage. "You-" I use an obscene word to tell him exactly how I feel. Even when his fist comes smashing into the side of my face, I don't regret it. I hate this man. I hate him with every fiber of my being.

"This is your last chance, Peeta. I'll ask one more time: _where is she_?"

I look at him with a carefully blank expression on my face.

"Who?"

I find brief satisfaction in the furious look on his face. Then, his finger comes down on the button.

*******

For the first time, I'm grateful for my artificial leg. It's the only part of me that remains totally working and unaffected, as ironic as that is. Plus, it's an excuse to step on the toes of the Capitol people who are dragging me back to my little cell.

Only this time, there's someone sitting in it. I only get a quick glance at the person before they chuck me in. I cringe as I hit the ground, and my fake leg makes a loud _clang_. Someone is helping me up. This is good, because I don't have enough energy left to move myself. I look up to see who it is, and my jaw drops open.

"Cinna?" I ask in total disbelief. He smiles tiredly.

"Hello, Peeta." It is him! I'm completely stunned. He's looking much less put-together than usual, and his metallic gold eyeliner has all but disappeared. "Are you alright?"

And suddenly I feel a huge pressure behind my eyes, and I'm having a hard time swallowing. I want to cry like a child, out of pain and fear for Katniss. But I have no doubt that this room is bugged, and I will not give President Snow the satisfaction. And I will not have anyone thinking I'm weak. I crush all my emotions down, but I haven't fooled Cinna. He's too perceptive.

"I'm worried," I choke out. He looks at me with concern.

"Peeta, I know you feel horrible now, but you'll be fine-" he begins, but I cut him off.

"Not about me! I'm worried about Katniss!" I exclaim. He nods, but doesn't tell me I shouldn't be. That frightens me more than anything. Cinna is always honest. And if he's worried, then Katniss must be in a lot of danger indeed.

I hope they kill me before they catch her. I don't want to watch her die.

**A/N: Bit of a depressing end... REVIEW, please! I want to know if I should continue...plus, tell me what you think of the title. It took me forever to come up with!**


	3. Deals with the Devil

Katniss

We are lively and talkative at dinner, being careful not to tip off Haymitch. I still think he suspects something, but there's not much he can do about it. After dinner, Finnick, Gale and I excuse ourselves early, to get a good long sleep before our rescue mission. It's been decided that we're going to get Peeta first, and get Annie on the way back. Finnick objected at first, but Gale and I explained that if we took Annie, someone was bound to see and inform the Capitol. Then they'd likely triple their watch over Peeta, and that would be the opposite of helpful.

I can't sleep, though. I'm thinking of Peeta, and trying to convince myself that he's alright. I can't bear the thought of him being hurt, let alone killed. This rescue is going to be very, very tricky. There are many things that can go wrong…but I guess we'll just have to be careful.

Finnick and I did the calculations earlier. If we go at full speed, then we can get to the Capitol in exactly a day and a half. I think we should go for it, but Finnick is convinced that we should go a little slower. But I argued that that would give them more time to notice us. I won.

I get up early the next morning. The sun is barely rising, and we're landing in District 13 in half an hour. I find Finnick and Gale, and we hide out next to the room where the pilot steers the ship. I can't remember what it's called. I am jittery and anxious.

We're landing now. So far, District 13 is a wasteland, barren and dreary and downright depressing. There's not a soul in sight. You'd think the place was deserted. But we know better. We know that the population of District 13 moved underground. We think the Capitol knows, too, but they haven't attacked because of what District 13 specialized in: nuclear power and development.

A chasm opens in the ground, and we slowly descend into it. We are now on some landing platform, but I really can't see anything beyond that, because the window I'm next to does not have the most helpful view. Finnick gives us the signal. It's time to act.

Finnick knocks on the door, and the co-pilot answers. In less than a minute, both he and the pilot are unconscious. Gale drags them out and locks them in Haymitch's quarters. We've made sure to disable all communication devices in there. As soon as everyone else is off, Finnick starts pressing buttons. I'm glad he knows what he's doing, because I can't follow it at all. I can shoot a bow, but when it comes to flying ships, I'm just about as helpful as a dead slug.

I have a better view of the landing platform now. As Finnick lifts us into the air, I see a panicked look on Plutarch Heavensbee's face, but Haymitch is nowhere in sight. Good. He'd be furious.

And now we're out of the ground and soaring back over District 13. I can finally breathe. We've managed to escape the others. Now for the real challenge: rescuing Peeta. He's bound to have at least twenty Peace-Keepers guarding him, and there's no telling what sort of condition he'll be in.

Finnick lounges comfortably in the pilot's chair and grins at me, with all his old arrogance. I resist the urge to roll my eyes. He is helping me, after all. I still think I'm going to regret asking him to come.

As soon as Gale leaves the room, I realize I am more right than I think.

"So," says Finnick conversationally, "does he know?"

"Know what?" I ask, knowing that this cannot lead to a good conversation. Finnick looks at me with pity, as though I'm the most unintelligent person on the planet. I'd bet my worldly possessions (there aren't many) that that's exactly what he thinks.

"Does your male friend know that you have feelings for Peeta?" Here we go. Round One. Urgh. Why does he always call Gale my "male friend?" He must know it irritates me. And I am not a good person to irritate.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I reply coolly.

"Please. Don't lie to me, Katniss. You _love_ Peeta. _I_ know it. _Gale_ knows it. I bet Peeta knows it, too. You're not fooling anyone," he says contemptuously. I would really like to hit him.

"Why so quiet? Can't think of a good argument?"

Just one punch, right in the eye.

When Finnick speaks next, it's in a surprisingly tactful tone. "Prolonging it will only make it harder," he warns. "Trust me on that. Tell him. Today. Make sure he knows that you belong to someone else."

I could. But the problem is, I don't know if I love Peeta… like that. I just know I love him _somehow_. I always have, I think, ever since that day with the bread. The first day he risked something for me.

"Hey, Catnip," says a voice behind me. I force a smile and turn to Gale. "What's the plan?" he asks. "How are we going to get to Peeta?"

"Well, I'm assuming he's being kept in the Capitol Prison, either that or President Snow's house-"

"Wait a second," Gale interrupts. "You mean you don't _know_?"

I shake my head. Now that I think of it, this seems like a major flaw in the plan. But I know how to find out.

"Finnick, can you communicate with President Snow from this thing?" I ask.

"Yes, by pressing this- hold on, what for?"

"I have a way to find out where Peeta is. It'll work. Trust me."

Finnick presses a few more buttons, and suddenly an image pops up onto the screen. It's like a window into a place that's miles and miles away. But before I have time to marvel at it, someone appears on the screen. Even though he's miles away, I can still smell blood and roses.

"Hello, Katniss. What a lovely surprise," says President Snow. Ugh, what a repulsive man.

"Where's Peeta?" I ask. "Where are you keeping him?"

"Why would you like to know? Are you planning a rescue?" he asks innocently.

"Not exactly. I propose a trade," I say. I can practically hear the click in Gale's head. But it's too late to stop me now.

"Really? What's that?" Snow asks in a bored voice.

"My life for Peeta's," I say. The effect is instantaneous. Gale lunges forward and grabs my arm.

"No," he growls. Finnick looks at me as though I've lost my mind. Maybe I have. President Snow, however, has stopped examining his glove and is now looking directly at me.

"What an interesting idea," he says. "I accept it."

"Good. Now let me talk to Peeta," I say. He shakes his head.

"I'm sorry, my dear, but Peeta is not in a fit state to speak to anyone at the moment." He speaks casually, as though commenting on the weather. I feel like I'm about to lose my breakfast.

"What have you done?" I shriek. "What's wrong with him?"

"Nothing permanent, I'd imagine. I'm not sure, though. I've never seen anyone last as long as he has." Snow smiles gleefully at me. "I'm quite impressed, really."

My hands ball into fists, and I take deep breaths. The room is spinning, and if Gale weren't holding onto me, I think I would fall. Snow is going to die. I will kill him myself if I have to. But either way, he will not live to regret his actions.

Snow is talking to Finnick, but I can't hear it. Then the screen goes black, and I collapse into a chair. "Don't listen to him," says Gale. "He's just trying to make you panic."

"He's doing a good job," I spit through clenched teeth. "A very, very good job."

"He told me where Peeta is," says Finnick. "He's in the Capitol Prison, just like you said he would be."

"Katniss, what were you thinking?" asks Gale softly. His brown eyes are inches from mine. "You can't honestly think we'll let you do that."

"I'm not planning on it," I reply impatiently. "I know the rest of you are under the impression that I can't lie, but I just did. And you believed it."

"You're not going to trade yourself for Peeta?" asks Finnick is disbelief. I shake my head.

"Absolutely not. Haymitch would kill me."

"He can't kill you if you're already dead," Gale points out. I shrug, very nonchalantly. What I don't tell them is that I _will_ trade my life for Peeta's if my plan fails. So for all our sakes, I hope it doesn't.

**A/N: Hope you liked it, a little less action in this one! But we'll get back to the good stuff soon. Make my day and REVIEW, please!**


	4. Conflicting Plans

Peeta

President Snow is in a bizarrely cheerful mood when he comes into our cell. He beams at me as though he's just been crowned king of the world.

"Peeta, I have good news!" he exclaims. "Katniss has made a deal with me. We're trading you for her! You'll be free to go with your friends! Isn't that wonderful?"

He doesn't give me time to answer. He just rushes right out the door, slamming and locking the door behind him, leaving an appalled silence in his wake.

"She didn't," I say to Cinna. "She _can't_ be that stupid!"

"I don't see why he'd lie about that," says Cinna. He frowns. "But you're right. Katniss must have another plan."

"She has to! I'm not worth that!" I'm so angry I can't see straight. How dare she! She's just going to throw everything away, after I've done so much to make sure she stays alive? When I see her, she is in big trouble.

But I know why she's doing this. She thinks she owes me for something- for fighting Cato to let her escape, for keeping her alive in both Games, for the stupid bread when we were kids- I don't know! She's got that stupid streak of pride, and that's going to ruin everything.

"She can't," I say again. "She's going to throw everything away for me. She's so stupid!"

"Unfortunately," says Cinna gently, "we're all a bit stupid when it comes to the people we love."

It takes a minute for his words to sink in. "But she doesn't love me. That was just something Haymitch and I came up with to get sponsors."

Cinna looks at me pityingly, as though I'm a complete idiot and can't do a thing about it. "Do you really believe that? Do you really think Katniss doesn't care about you?"

"We're friends. That's all," I say, no matter how much I wish it was otherwise. Cinna shakes his head. He almost looks irritated.

"Peeta, if you honestly think that, then you're an idiot." I've never heard Cinna call anyone an idiot before. It has to be the most insulting thing he's ever called anyone. He's becoming more and more agitated as he speaks.

"Do you think that she'd try her hardest to get you home if she didn't care about you? Do you think she would've found you in the woods if she didn't want you to survive, too? She didn't have to, you know. She could've let you die. But she _didn't._"

"That doesn't matter anymore," I reply. "What we've got to do now is figure out a plan to get Katniss out of here alive."

Cinna snorts. "You're insane, Peeta."

I'm beginning to think he's right.

*******

I'd like to make a plan immediately, but Cinna points out that the room is most likely bugged, and discussing any plans would be the opposite of helpful. Of course he's right, but I'm eager to get started.

After what seems like a very, very long time, I realize that for Katniss to make it out alive, President Snow will have to die. Or at the very least, I'll have to distract him. Then I'll do my best to kill him with whatever I have handy, but I highly doubt I'll live through this.

Cinna is the key to my plan. I'm assuming that Snow will have Katniss and me in the same room, at least for a few minutes so he can gloat. Cinna is going to somehow get out of this place, and, while I distract Snow, he's going to break in and get Katniss out. It's a weak plan, but at least it's a plan. Cinna is much stronger than he looks, so I'm not worried about him knocking out a couple of Peacekeepers. But I secretly suspect that Snow might just put a bullet through my head instead of chasing after me- or whatever it is I plan to do. Come to think of it, I should probably think of that before she gets here.

I begin to weave a plan, where Katniss will survive. But as I examine the plan, I realize that, even if she does survive, I probably will not.

**A/N: Hey there!! I know, I know, this one's short, but Peeta's seriously losing hope here and this is about as much pessimism as I could take. But I promise the others will be longer. Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who reviews! Please keep it up!**

**Ciao Bello: I am TEAM PEETA! And quite frankly, it shocks me that my writing is changing your mind…but still, that's kind of awesome. Thanks for what you said!**

**I just wanted to make sure that everyone here knows that I'm Team Peeta, even though I'm kind of mean to him here. (And I do like Gale... I just like Peeta more.)**

**Thanks, and REVIEW, people, REVIEW!**


	5. Saving Peeta

Katniss

As we travel closer to the Capitol, I get increasingly more nervous. I know I'm being selfish by risking everything on this trip, but I can't help it. Still, I force myself to eat and try to sleep, because I'm going to need my strength for this.

When we are about an hour from the Capitol, I slowly begin to get ready. I hide a knife in my boot and make sure my mockingjay pin is secure. After two Games it's become a sort of good luck charm.

"Are you ready, Catnip?" asks Gale. I nod shortly, and Finnick winks at me. How can he stay so calm?

"Hold up, there, sweetheart." I freeze. Only one person I know calls me sweetheart. I turn around, and I see a very familiar someone standing in the doorway.

"Haymitch! What are you doing here?" I ask. He doesn't look drunk; actually he looks surprisingly well groomed and sober. I have to admit I'm surprised to see him here.

"Here's the first thing to learn, sweetheart: Anything made by the Capitol, such as this ship, is going to have bugs and cameras. I heard your whole plan, and I hid in a supply closet while everyone else was getting off." He has an insufferably smug expression on his face. At the moment, I'm just glad he's not angry.

"It's good that you're here, because I was thinking that one of us should stay with the ship," I say. He nods, and I'm surprised. I expected him to argue. He's unusually quiet as Gale, Finnick and I go over the plan one more time. Gale and Finnick are both armed to the teeth with everything they can think of. Finnick still has his trident from the Games. All I have is one measly knife, until Gale hands me my bow and arrows.

"How did you get this?" I ask in disbelief.

"I got it out of your house, along with your mother and Prim," he replies. I'm so excited that I throw my arms around him and kiss his cheek, which gets me a glare from Haymitch and raised eyebrows from Finnick. But I have my bow! It's practically an extension of my body by now.

"We're nearly there," says Finnick. "Ten minutes, tops." We expect to be attacked, but the grey sky remains empty. "There it is." Finnick points downward and I see it.

The Capitol prison is a tall, whitewashed building with an electric fence around it. It spreads over half a mile, and it's supposedly full of "rebels and disrupters of the peace."

As we land, it begins to rain. Finnick, Gale and I slip out of the ship and hide in a clump of dead bushes. The ship begins to rise.

"What is he doing!?" I whisper. "He's not supposed to take off!"

"We've got this, Katniss." Finnick holds up a little radio transmitter. "We'll just radio him when we have Peeta, and he'll come right back over. He's just hiding the ship over there, see?"

I see the silver ship disappear over the tops of trees. I catch a faint glint of silver, but the forest is thick enough that it's fairly invisible. And close.

"Let's go," whispers Gale. We send Finnick to look for a door that leads inside. Gale and I crouch behind the bush and stay quiet. The Capitol is full of sound, but this prison is dead silent, even on the outside. It's unnerving.

Someone grabs my shoulder and I nearly jump out of my skin. "Gah!"

But it's only Finnick. "Shh. I found a door, just around this corner," he says, so quietly that I practically have to read his lips to understand. The three of us slink out of the bush and inch slowly around the building, where a heavy grey door awaits. Finnick tries the door, but it won't budge. He pulls something small and fiddles with the door for a minute. Then it silently swings open.

The hallway is just like the outside; dismal and silent. It is lined with barred doors, and there's not a window in sight. I would hate to be in this place. Even though we try to be quiet, our shoes slap loudly against the tile floor. The whole place is very… _sterile_.

"Take off your shoes," I whisper, when the noise becomes too loud and I'm afraid we'll be heard. All three of us remove our shoes, and then we are silent as we walk down the hall.

We take turns peeking through the barred openings in the doors, but most of the cells are empty. It looks like the Capitol isn't quite as efficient as they would like us to believe.

At the end of the fifth hallway we search, there is an open door. We slowly creep towards it, weapons drawn. There is a flash of gold, and before I know it I'm running. Peeta is in that room, I'm sure of it!

I'm right. He is standing in the center of the room, with a pained expression on his face. I come barreling through the door and launch myself at him.

He catches me, but then tries to push me out the door. "Katniss, it's a trap! You've got to go!" he hisses in my ear. I grab his hand. If I'm going, he's coming too. But as I turn to the door, I find there is already someone standing there.

I smell blood and roses. "Well done, Peeta," says President Snow. Peeta glares at him as several Peacekeepers appear.

In a second, we're torn apart. I try to punch one of the Peacekeepers, but I'm being restrained by two more. Even more of them are hauling Peeta into the middle of the room. President Snow levels a gun at Peeta's chest.

"Wait," I say, "we made a deal!"

"I lied," says President Snow simply. I'm so angry I'm shaking. Peeta's blue eyes seek me out. In them I see complete and utter defeat. The fight is over. We've lost.

And, in this moment, I realize what Peeta has been trying to tell me, what everyone else already knew. I can't believe it's taken me this long to realize this earth-shattering truth.

I love him. I love Peeta Mellark, the boy with the bread. And suddenly I'm glad I'm going to die. I don't want to live with this pain, with the regret and grief that is already weighing on me.

"Anything to say before you die?" asks President Snow pleasantly. Peeta looks at me with desperate eyes.

"I love you, Katniss," he says, and that one little sentence breaks me like nothing else has. Hot tears run down my face, and I can't remember how to breathe. But I have to tell him something.

"I love you, Peeta." My voice breaks. Peeta looks surprised, and suddenly there are tears on his face, too. I wish I hadn't waited until the moment of his death to tell him that.

"How sweet," says President Snow in a very bored voice. "Well, let's get on with it, shall we? There's no sense in wasting time." He cocks the gun.

"Don't look!" cries Peeta. "Katniss, close your eyes!"

I do. I won't watch him die again. I shut my eyes tight. But I can still hear the shot that rings around the room.

*******

I don't open my eyes, preferring to go blindly to my death. I'm going to spend my last seconds with Peeta. There are several more shots, the Peacekeepers let go of me, and I'm falling.

"Katniss, open your eyes," says a very familiar voice. I open them, to find a pair of blue eyes inches from my own.

"Wow, that was fast. They're very good," I say.

"Katniss, you're not dead."

I hear a small chuckle, and I'm shocked to see Finnick, Gale and Cinna standing in the doorway. President Snow and several Peacekeepers are unconscious on the ground. And Peeta is alive.

I throw myself at him, clinging to him as if I'm drowning. He's alive, he's alive! I'm so close to him that I can feel his heart beating through his shirt. I bury my face in his neck and sob like a little child. I try to stop, but I can't.

Peeta doesn't say anything. He just holds me more tightly.

"Peeta," says Cinna gently, after several minutes, "we need to get to the ship so we can look at your shoulder."

I pull back. "What are they talking about?" I ask. His left shoulder is soaked in scarlet blood, and his face is white. "Why didn't you say something earlier?"

He just shrugs with his right shoulder and kisses the crown of my head. Cinna and Haymitch help him to his feet, and Finnick extends a hand to me. I only hesitate for a moment before I take it. Finnick puts an arm around my shoulders. He's not being obnoxious or arrogant or suggestive; this time, the gesture is one of comfort. I do not push him away.

I'm so relieved that Peeta is alive that I refuse to leave him. I remain glued to his side while the medics fix his shoulder, which had been hit by the bullet that had been intended to pierce his heart.

But Peeta doesn't seem to mind that I refuse to leave him. The only person who seems thoroughly disgruntled about it is Gale. I dread the moment when I'll have to talk to him about everything.

Unfortunately, that moment comes soon. We are called to dinner, and Gale and I are the first to arrive. We just sit there awkwardly for a few minutes while the silence presses in on us. I try to start a conversation, but Gale only glowers at his empty plate

"Where's your boyfriend?" he asks suddenly.

"He's sleeping," I say. I don't tell him that Peeta is asleep in my room. Somehow I don't think he'll be too pleased with that, even though Peeta and I were only talking.

"So, what, you two are together now?" he asks, and the pain in his voice makes me want to cry. But I've got to be honest.

"I love him," I whisper. Gale's face hardens.

"But I love _you_," he says. "Doesn't that mean anything?"

I don't say anything. I just look at my plate. I can feel his eyes on my head like hot coals. Then he sighs.

"Does he make you happy?" he asks. I nod. "I guess… if he really makes you happy… then I'm glad you found him," he says grudgingly.

"You're still my best friend, you know," I say, trying to lighten the mood. "Plus, I thought there was something going on between you and Madge." Gale snorts, then becomes serious again.

"I just wish it could've been me," he says simply. The others join us then. Peeta slips into a chair next to me and takes my hand. Gale and I don't speak to each other for the rest of the evening.

**A/N: Thank you SO MUCH to all the people who review! I LOVE LOVE LOVE you all! Please keep it up... and tell me what you think of this chapter, because personally it's my favorite one so far.**


	6. Rumors

Chapter Six

PEETA

_ I hear the footsteps and my stomach lurches. I know what's going to happen next. Pain, until my body writhes like it will break, until I'm soaked in my own sweat and I no longer have the capacity to talk. Horrible, burning, stinging pain. _

_ Snow walks in the room, as pleasant as he always is. "I have news, Peeta," he says. He grins like the Cheshire cat. "You don't have to worry about Katniss anymore. She's dead, you see."_

_ I feel like I'm falling into empty space. No one to catch me. Just falling. "Then kill me," I say, and with the words comes a measure of relief. I'll be away from here, back with Katniss in a place where no one can touch us. _

_ Snow shakes his head. "I'm afraid not," he says lightly. "There's still information you can give us, Peeta."_

_ "There's not!" I say in a panic. My voice rises to a frantic yell. "I don't know anything! Nothing! They didn't tell me anything!" _

_ It's the truth. Snow simply makes a disparaging noise. "I don't believe you, Peeta," he says, and then he brings out a picture. _

_ At first I can't make sense of the image. Eventually I make out the form of a person, lying in a pool of blood. Slash marks mar the face, and I can't tell who it is._

_ And then I see it._

_ The pin, the mockingjay pin, the gold one that would have fed my family for weeks. The pin, shining against the dark, blood-soaked shirt of the body I now recognize. An agonized cry comes through my lips. No. It can't be her. Can't be. She's too smart, too fast. Not after all we've been through. _

_ But it is. The pin, the dark braid, the bow clutched in her lifeless hands all witness to the fact that Katniss Everdeen is finally, irrevocably, dead. And so am I. It doesn't matter that I still breathe, that my sad, crushed heart still beats in my chest. Without her, I am nothing. Just a shell. _

_ "You're lying," I finally say. "That's not her."_

_ He smiles slowly. Laughs. Holds up something in each hand. In one, I see the glint of her mockingjay pin. In the other, I see something long and dark. A braid, cut off the body of a corpse. _

_ "Oh good mercy!" I cry before I can stop the words. "No!"_

_ And then the pain comes. It hurts so much my heart ought to explode, my limbs split and the skin peel back like tree bark. My voice is nothing but air scraping through my throat, cursing Snow with every fiber of my being. I would kill him, for killing her. For killing the girl I love. _

_ "Just kill me!" I shout. "I'm not telling you anything!" What I don't say is that the sole reason I want to die is because I don't want to go on living without her. I don't think I can. The truth is, she took my heart a long time ago. And I can't get it back. _

"Peeta. Peeta. Wake up. It's just a dream, just a dream." My eyes open unwillingly, and I find a pair of grey eyes inches from my own. It takes several minutes for me to comprehend what I'm seeing. I'm in a dark room, lit with the soft glow of a lamp. Dark hair, grey eyes, a concerned expression on her face. I am not in President Snow's house. I am in District Thirteen. Katniss is alive. She was never dead. And she seems to be waiting for a response.

"I'm awake," I say in a hoarse voice.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asks. I start to shake my head, but think better of it. Maybe it will help.

"Snow told me you were dead," I say. "He showed me a picture of a corpse, bloody and unrecognizable. Wearing your pin. Then he...took out a gold pin, and a braid of hair, just like yours. I believed him, for awhile, but then I remembered that it would be easy enough for him to get a mockingjay pin, since they're such a fashion statement in the Capitol. As for the braid..." I trail off, not really wanting to finish that particular thought.

Katniss lays down next to me on the bed. Her dark head leans against my shoulder. "I wonder why he did that," she says, although her voice hides some other thought I can't discern.

"He wanted me to break," I say quietly. "Nothing he was doing to me was working, so I guess he decided to try a different tactic. It worked."

I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her closer. I'm shaking slightly, and her still, small form is comforting. She twists around to look at me. "I have something to tell you. It's somewhat amusing," she says. Her eyes glow in the darkness.

"What?"

She clears her throat a little awkwardly. "Well, apparently there's some, ah, rumors going around. About us. And our, uh, sleeping arrangements."

It takes several seconds for this to sink in, and then I break into a fit of uncontrollable chuckling. Her face flames. It's the first time I've ever seen her blush, and to be honest, it's really cute. I can just imagine what she said to the perpetrator of the rumor. It was probably very colorful.

"We could always give them a real reason to talk," I tease, leaning in for a kiss. She leans away and puts a hand on my chest. Her eyes are wide and disbelieving.

"I'm kidding," I assure her. "I swear. I am not serious in any way, neither will I be until you're ready, or we both are, or maybe never because I would understand if that freaks you out, because it actually freaks me out a little too, maybe because we're young and-"

Katniss puts a hand over my mouth. That's a good thing, because my babbling was getting embarassing. Much like this entire conversation. At first I'm afraid she's angry, but then I see that she is smiling, as big and warm as the sun. It's an expression I haven't seen her wear very often, and I find myself wanting to kiss her. Then again, when do I not want to kiss her? She's just so beautiful, even with her eyebrows knit together in a furious scowl. Although I must admit that I find that expression somewhat frightening, at least when it's directed at me.

When she takes her hand off my mouth, I almost expect her to say something sexy or sarcastic. She simply kisses me and turns off the lamp. "Good night, Peeta," she says. Her head rests on my shoulder, and I inhale her familiar scent: cotton and soap and something else, a smell unique to her that rivals anything I've ever encountered before. I wrap her in my arms and pull her close. My lips find hers in the darkness.

And this is the precise moment that Gale chooses to enter.

**A/N: Hey everyone. First off, I'd like to say that I'm sorry for the hiatus. Second, I'm sorry for the lack of warning about the hiatus, and I hope you'll find it in your hearts to forgive me. Thirdly, I found Mockingjay to be slightly disappointing, which means I HAVE to finish this because I now look at it as my version of the third book. Fourthly, the only legitimate excuse I can give you for my lack of updats is that I was busy working on my own novel...which I am happy to say I have finished the first draft of! Hooray! But now I am taking a well-deserved break, and to keep my mind off of it I will be turning my full attention to my neglected FanFiction stories. **

** Then again, I'm weak and will probably return to my novel sooner than expected. **

**Anyway, thanks for sticking with me. And if you're still reading this, I commend you and probably owe you payment in the form of tearful thanks and chocolate. **

** -GirlOnFire15 **


	7. Jealous Schoolboys

Chapter Seven

KATNISS

"What's going on here?" demands a furious voice. I pull away from Peeta to see a very large someone in the doorway. The light from the hallway throws his face into shadow, but I know who it is anyway.

"What?" I ask. "Why are you here? It's like four in the morning."

Gale doesn't listen to me. He just keeps coming. He reaches out and plucks me from the bed like I weigh nothing. He pushes me aside, into a bedside table. I feel a bruise beginning to rise on my hip. Peeta gives a noise of outrage.

"You could've hurt her, Gale," he says icily. "Don't ever do that again."

"_I_ could've hurt her? You idiot. If you think I'm going to let you touch her, kiss her like that, then you're more stupid than I thought you were!" Gale shouts.

"Stop it!" I snap. "I kissed him, alright Gale? I love him. Stop shouting. You'll wake up the whole district!"

"Stay out of it, Katniss, this isn't about you," snarls Gale. Peeta and I stare at him incredulously.

"You're joking, right?" asks Peeta. "Of course it's about her. If she wasn't here, you wouldn't be either."

Even though Peeta hasn't said anything offensive, Gale rushes at him with a roar. The two of them slam into the wall, creating a noise that could wake the dead. Peeta kicks Gale in the chest, and Gale retaliates with a punch to the jaw. I rush between them.

"Stop it, now," I command. They stop, but their eyes glare daggers at each other. Or rather, Gale glares. Peeta looks angry, but slightly remorseful. I turn to Gale. "Don't you ever attack him again, do you hear me? He didn't do anything to you," I say.

"Of course he did," Gale spits. "That's why you're here with him and not me."

"What about my choice?" I cry. "I _chose_ him, Gale. He didn't take me. I _chose_ this!"

"Don't pretend like he had nothing to do with it!" Gale shouts. "He fought for you just as hard as I did!"

I know he did. Peeta did fight for me-literally. In the arenas, he fought for my life. "Gale, let me ask you a question," I say, fully aware that what I'm about to ask will result in a more violent explosion. "Why do you think I should choose you?  
Peeta visibly stiffens, and Gale looks surprised. "I know you, Catnip," he says, trying hard not to sound angry. He fails miserably. "I love you."

"I love her too, and you're not the only person who knows her," Peeta says in irritation. For some reason, that is the last straw for Gale, who has apparently lost his mind. He shoves me aside and throws himself at Peeta, who is still injured and weak from his time in the Capitol. Gale takes him down and pins him to the floor. He wraps his huge hands around Peeta's throat. I reach for my bow and pull out an arrow.

I focus on a very specific point. I aim carefully. I pull my arm back. And then I fire.

The arrow whizzes past Gale's nose. He looks at me, stunned, and Peeta clocks him in the head with his fist. Gale hits him across the head, and Peeta finally manages to break his grip and fight back.

Before I can do much more, a horde of District Thirteen guards rush through my door, accompanied by Haymitch, Plutarch, and Finnick. They all have to join in to subdue Gale and Peeta, who seem determined to kill each other. Then, to my horror, the guards force both of them to their knees and handcuff their hands behind their backs.

"That's enough," says Haymitch. "He looks furious. "Look at you! Two perfectly respectable, decent men brawling like a couple of jealous schoolboys! It's ridiculous." He turns his gaze to me. "Go back to sleep, sweetheart. It looks like I'm going to have to have a cozy chat with your young men here."

"This isn't necessary," I say. "I trust them both." Although I'm really not sure if I trust Gale anymore. At least Peeta was acting only in self-defense.

Plutarch shakes his head. "You're the Mockingjay," he says. "You could've gotten hurt. This'll probably earn them both a couple of days in the prison cell, at the very least. We can't afford this kind of violence in District Thirteen."

No matter how I protest, they don't listen. They simply haul the two of them to their feet and herd them out the door. I go to follow, but Haymitch stops me. "Don't go after them," he says. "You're not going to like what you see."

I frown. "What do you mean?"

"He glances down the hall, then steps in and shuts the door. "I mean that District Thirteen isn't so much different than the Capitol. You can't trust them, Katniss. I've no doubt that Peeta and Gale will be severely punished- and not in ways you haven't seen before."

I think of the lash scars on Gales back, of the bruises and scars that Peeta now carries from his time in the Capitol. My skin turns to ice as I realize that we're in exactly the same position as we were in District Twelve.

**A/N: I know this one's a bit short, but it came to a natural end here. Bit of a cliffhanger, eh? I can't help it. I'm a little addicted to them.**


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